Rugby League: Moffett linked with move to Sport England

David Moffett, chief executive of Australia’s National Rugby League, is being linked with a move to London to take over a similar role with Sport England.

Sport England have been looking for a new chief executive since Derek Casey resigned in June, and it appears Moffett, who has a year of his contract with NRL to run, was offered the job in England during a recent holiday in Europe.

Moffett is refusing to comment, but it is believed he spent the weekend informing NRL board members of his decision.

An announcement is expected soon, but Moffett said: ‘‘I am not going to enter into any speculation. There is constant speculation about what I am going to do and there has been almost since the day I arrived.

‘‘Once I am in a position to say something I will, but until then there really is nothing I can say. I’ll leave it to others to speculate.’’

NRL chairman Malcolm Noad denied that Moffett, who once held the same post with the New Zealand All Blacks, had already submitted his resignation. But the pair will meet on Tuesday in a pre-arranged get-together.

Asked if he would stand in Moffett’s way if he did ask to leave, Noad replied: ‘‘I would prefer it if he stayed.’’

The controversial Moffett tried to quit twice during the past season, once when he was ordered not to go on a mid-season holiday to Europe to watch the Tour de France.

On that occasion board officials talked him into staying but it could be a different story this time.